Chapter 234 - 214: Destroying the Flower

Chapter 234: Chapter 214: Destroying the Flower

SWISH!

Philina instantly swung her dagger, closing the distance to Vili in a flash.

Her eyes were filled with a cold light. She didn’t know who this young Junior Grand Knight was, but from the moment he’d made his move, they were mortal enemies.

"Die!"

As Philina’s dagger drew near, Vili felt a chilling sensation.

A white burst of Fighting Spirit shot out from the dagger’s edge.

’Ice Fighting Spirit?’

A strange look flickered in Vili’s eyes. This Ice Fighting Spirit was almost identical to his own Frost Fighting Spirit; they were basically the same type of energy.

Vili was completely unfazed by Philina’s attack.

Philina might have the reflexes and Fighting Spirit intensity of a Middle Grand Knight, but it wasn’t enough to overwhelm him.

From her movements, Vili could tell her combat experience was nothing compared to his.

Vili dodged her strike completely with just a slight turn of his body.

’Hm?’

Philina frowned.

’He dodged that attack far too easily.’

’His combat experience seems extensive... and he has a natural talent for fighting...’

Philina’s heart grew heavy.

’While my own combat ability is limited, I’ve still gone through a lot of training. The only thing I lack is true life-or-death experience.’

For a Middle Grand Knight who hadn’t spent years fighting on a battlefield, her combat skills were up to par for her rank. But facing this young Junior Grand Knight, she felt an immense pressure.

At this point, Philina didn’t dare underestimate Vili just because he was a Junior Grand Knight.

In fact, she felt he might even be stronger than she was.

WHOOSH!

Just as she was growing wary, she saw Vili pivot after his dodge, reverse his footwork, and instantly drive an elbow toward her.

Philina tried to dodge, but she wasn’t fast enough.

An intense pain immediately shot through her, spreading from her chest to her entire body.

’If he’d had time to put his full power into it,’ she thought, ’my entire sternum would have shattered.’

"Miss!"

Seeing this, the Senior Knight nearby rushed forward. He no longer cared for his own life, wanting only to intercept Vili’s next attack for Philina.

But he didn’t get his wish.

The Senior Knight had barely taken a step before several figures burst from the surrounding bushes.

There was a middle-aged man with a Curved Cross Sword, a large, bearded man holding an Iron Spear with the Power of Earth Element swirling around him, a young girl with inhuman features, and a shifty-looking youth bringing up the rear.

They all attacked him at once.

"This is..."

Philina and the pale-faced Midton stared in disbelief.

’A Knight, a Mage, a Silent...’

’Isn’t this Baron Vili’s retinue, the one those Pirates mentioned?’

’This Junior Grand Knight in front of us... he’s the Baron Vili they were talking about!’

’How could this be?!’

Rage burned in the hearts of both Philina and Midton.

’Weren’t we told Baron Vili was just a Senior Knight? How is he a Junior Grand Knight now? It would be illogical for him to have broken through using the treasures here.’

’How could someone master such refined combat techniques and reach their peak immediately after a breakthrough?’

’Every one of Baron Vili’s movements, every bit of Fighting Spirit he mobilized, was perfectly precise. Combined with his combat awareness, he fought like a veteran warrior, one who’d spent years on the battlefield.’

Now, Philina was certain the two Pirates had deceived them.

’Letting Midton slice their heads off with Sword Qi was too easy a death for those lying Pirates.’

’They deserved to be hacked to pieces!’

"That Senior Knight is yours,"

Vili said suddenly to his subordinates.

’A Middle Knight, a Middle Level Mage, plus a Two-Engraving Silent and a Two-Engraving Bloodline Descendant... taking care of one Senior Knight shouldn’t be too dangerous.’

"Understood, Lord Baron!"

Benduin took the lead, his Iron Spear wreathed in the Earth Element, and immediately cut through the Senior Knight’s Armor and into his skin.

They all knew this was Vili’s way of testing and training them.

"You despicable thief!"

Midton, his one remaining arm gripping a longsword, instantly rushed to Philina’s side to support her.

His eyes blazed with hatred.

In Midton’s eyes, Vili’s attempt to plunder the legacy of the Cold Lion Duchy’s Royal Family was a disgraceful act of thievery.

’Anyone who stood in the way of the Cold Lion Duchy’s restoration deserved to be beheaded, their life and dignity trampled into the dust.’

’Two Grand Knights, hmm...’

Even though Midton was old and had lost an arm, his strength was still on par with a Junior Grand Knight.

With two Grand Knights attacking him at once, Vili did feel a sliver of pressure.

But it was only a sliver.

’When the difference in power isn’t an entire rank, superior combat skill can decide the outcome of a battle.’

Vili dodged back, putting distance between himself and the pair.

He immediately unleashed two blasts of Frost Sword Qi.

CLANG! CLANG!

Philina and Midton parried Vili’s attacks in unison.

The two then split apart, one to the left and one to the right, and began to flank Vili.

Midton was faster. He charged Vili head-on, no longer caring about the pain from his severed arm.

With a single-handed slash, he sent a blast of Wind Sword Qi hacking toward Vili.

The Wind Sword Qi howled, a vortex of air swirling within it.

If it landed, it would instantly tear open a wound and shred the surrounding flesh.

’As expected, a Middle Grand Knight has a much higher degree of control over their Fighting Spirit...’

Even in the heat of battle, Vili had enough spare focus to observe his opponents.

But instead of retreating from the Wind Sword Qi, Vili advanced, his Cross Sword covered in a layer of frost as he met the attack head-on.

"Midton, look out!"

Philina saw the killing intent in Vili’s eyes. She instantly abandoned her delayed follow-up, darting forward and thrusting her dagger in a crescent arc at Vili’s throat.

"Heh..."

Vili, who had been charging Midton, suddenly smirked and flung a ball of fire at him with one hand.

’He’s a Mage, too?’

A barrier of wind instantly appeared in front of Midton.

Then he saw Vili, who had been attacking him, suddenly pivot to engage Philina.

"This..."

But as the fire struck the surface of his wind barrier, Midton’s brow furrowed.

’This fire... it’s so weak.’

A moment later, seeing Vili swing his sword at Philina, Midton realized the ball of fire had just been a feint.

’From the very beginning, his target wasn’t me, it was Miss Philina.’

"Miss, fall back!"

Midton yelled.

But his warning came a moment too late.

Unlike Vili, Philina couldn’t pull back her attack, her arm and dagger still extended in mid-air.

Vili tilted his head slightly, easily dodging the blow. He then grabbed Philina’s neck with his left hand and drove his knee hard into her stomach.

Philina cried out in pain and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

She was about to counterattack when a sharp blow struck her dagger arm, the pain forcing her to drop her weapon.

The next instant, Philina saw the young man catch her falling dagger with his free hand. He moved behind her in a blur, locking his forearm around her neck. With a flick of his other arm, he pressed the cold blade of her own dagger against her throat.

"I’d stay back if I were you."

With Philina under his control, Vili gave a slight smile and turned his gaze to the helpless and furious Midton.

"Miss!"

Midton’s expression was even more contorted than when he had lost his arm.

He had come on this journey to protect Miss Philina, and not only had he failed, but he’d let her fall into the enemy’s hands. A wave of bitter regret washed over Midton.

"Drop your weapon."

As Vili spoke, a strange feeling surfaced within him.

’Threatening an opponent with a woman’s life... this didn’t seem like something a Hanged Man would do.’

"I..."

Midton hesitated.

"Ignore me!"

Philina yelled, her every muscle tensed.

If not for the faint chill and stinging pain at her neck, she would have spun around and fought Vili to the death.

"Don’t hurt the Miss. I’ll drop my weapon. I won’t be your enemy."

Midton spoke words that neither of them believed.

He slowly bent down, gently placing his Cross Sword on the ground.

He kept a furtive eye on Vili, however. Even without a weapon, a Grand Knight still had the means and strength to attack.

"Good."

Vili smiled and lifted the dagger from Philina’s neck.

"Huh?"

Philina felt the cold dagger leave her throat. She froze, stunned. She couldn’t believe Baron Vili was actually letting her go.

An instant later, killing intent flared in Philina’s eyes.

In that same instant, Knight’s Fighting Spirit erupted from her entire body.

But just as she was about to spin around and kill Vili, she saw him raise the dagger once more.

"Sorry..."

Vili’s voice whispered in her ear.

This time, the dagger wasn’t just for show. Coated in Vili’s Frost Fighting Spirit, it plunged straight into her body.

SHLICK!

Vili struck without warning, first stabbing Philina in the abdomen, followed by strikes to her right breast and lower back.

In an instant, unbearable pain consumed Philina.

"My Fighting Spirit..."

Through the haze of pain, Philina suddenly realized that the three vital points Vili had struck had completely severed the pathways of her Fighting Spirit.

’He’s just a Baron from the Lanton Duchy?’

Philina felt her consciousness begin to fade.